Fake bibs being probed by Boston Marathon organizers

BOSTON — Our news partner WCVB-TV has learned that marathon organizers are investigating several reports of counterfeit bibs being used in Monday's race.

One local woman was shocked to discover someone else was running with her number.

Team 5 Investigates' Karen Anderson reports she was even more surprised when she learned the identity of the stranger.

After finishing the Marathon and raising thousands of dollars for charity, Kathy Brown had her cherished medal and couldn't wait to check out her official photos.

"I opened it up looking for the pictures of me and there were some in there and they came out really good, but then I saw this other woman," said Brown.

Brown told Team 5 Investigates she was stunned to see that a woman wearing a bib with her number. It's a number she said she earned by following the rules and raising money to fight multiple sclerosis, a disease that claimed her uncle's life.

"I was a little dumbstruck. I didn't get it at first. I said Marathonfoto must have gotten me confused with someone else," said Brown.

Looking closer Brown noticed a Twitter handle on the bib and it didn't take her long to figure out it was Chelsa Crowley, a New York city stylist and fashion writer who was running with her husband Dennis Crowley, the founder of Foursquare.

"I put that work in it and it wasn't fair that someone else didn't have to do that. That was my first thought," said Brown.

In another case, a North Carolina woman said at least four people ran using her number.

Kara Bonneau says when she went online to get an official picture of herself, she found pictures of four strangers running with her number.

She tells WBZ-AM she thinks people made copies of her bib after she posted a picture on a social media website.

She says using counterfeit bibs is unfair to those who went through proper qualifying channels, and also poses a security issue.